The present invention relates to a machine for the application of suction tubes or drinking straws to prefabricated packing containers which suction tubes are wrapped in protective casings and are arranged so as to be supplied to the machine in the form of a continuous band.
Fruit juices and the like at present are frequently packed of non-returnable packages in portion-size which are intended to be emptied with the help of a suction tube. The suction tube for reasons of hygiene is usually wrapped in a protective paper or a protective casing and is supplied together with the package, either separately or joined in one way or another to the packing container.
The suction tube or the suction tube casing may be attached for example by means of tape or the like to the outside of the packing container.
The attachment of each individually wrapped suction tube to the wall surface of the packing container had to be carried out hitherto mainly by hand, since the mechanical handling of the very light suction tube was found to cause great difficulties. The mechanical handling can be made easier, however, if the suction tubes, after they have been enclosed in the individual casing, are joined together in such a manner that a continuous band of suction tubes is formed. The individually wrapped suction tubes are separated from this band only in connection with the application to the individual packing containers. This concept is described in detail in Swedish patent application No. 7613372-7, to which reference is made.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for the application of suction tubes to prefabricated packing containers. It is presumed that the suction tubes are wrapped in protective casings and arranged so as to be supplied to the machine in the form of a continuous band as described in the said Swedish patent application, that is to say, the wrapped, individual suction tubes are fixed along two preferably parallel carrier bands in such a manner that the suction tubes are arranged parallel with one another at equal mutual distances.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention in that a machine of the type described earlier is adapted so as to separate suction tubes from the suction tube band, orientate the suction tubes and the packing containers, in the correct position relative to one another and with the help of an adhesive attach the suction tubes to the packing containers.
In a preferred embodiment of the machine in accordance with the invention the machine includes a feed track for the packing containers and a driving mechanism for the suction tube band arranged adjoining the feed track, the feed track and the driving mechanism comprising devices for the mutual orientation of the packing containers and the suction tubes respectively.
In a further embodiment of the machine in accordance with the present invention the feed track for the packing containers is constituted of individual packing container carrier elements joined together to form an endless chain, which elements in a part of their course of travel are adapted so as to be oriented to allow the application of suction tubes in the desired position to the packing containers.
In a further embodiment of the machine in accordance with the invention the packing container carrier elements for substantially parallelepipedic packing containers are adapted so as to be pivoted to such a position that the suction tube can be attached substantially diagonally over one of the side faces of the packing containers.
In a further embodiment of the machine in accordance with the present invention the driving mechanism for the suction tube has the form of a rotatable element provided with peripheral recesses, along the periphery of which are arranged devices for the separation of the suction tubes from the band, orientation of the separated suction tubes and transfer of the suction tubes to and pressing of the suction tubes against the packing containers.
In a further embodiment of the machine in accordance with the present invention the device for the separation of the suction tubes from the band is constituted of a reciprocating knife element which during its working stroke, in co-operation with a hold-on arranged on the driving mechanism, separates a suction tube from the continuous band.
Finally, in a further embodiment of the machine in accordance with the present invention the device for the orientation of the cut-off suction tube comprises sliding surfaces located along the periphery of the driving mechanism, which by acting upon the end surfaces of the suction tubes located in the recesses axially move the suction tubes to the correct position in relation to the packing containers.